Rescuers are currently searching for a woman who went missing while looking for her lost cat and is believed to have fallen into a sinkhole above an abandoned coal mine in western Pennsylvania. The woman, identified as a 64-year-old named Elizabeth Pollard, was reported missing by her family after she failed to return home from her search for her cat named Pepper.
The search efforts have been ongoing in Marguerite, with crews working tirelessly through the night to locate Pollard. Authorities have expressed concerns about the integrity of the abandoned mine, which they believe may have played a role in the sinkhole opening up.
Despite using specialized equipment such as a pole camera and sensitive listening devices, search teams have not been able to locate Pollard. A camera lowered into the sinkhole did capture an image that appears to show an object resembling a shoe about 30 feet below the surface.
Pollard's car was found parked near a local restaurant, with her 5-year-old granddaughter safely inside. The sinkhole, which is approximately manhole-sized, was not noticed by individuals in the area prior to Pollard's disappearance, leading rescuers to believe it is a recent occurrence.
Authorities have been using excavators to dig in the area, despite freezing temperatures, and have also accessed the mine in an attempt to locate Pollard. The search efforts have been challenging due to concerns about the stability of the ground surrounding the sinkhole.
The sinkhole is suspected to be a result of subsidence from coal mining activities in the region. The Marguerite Mine, last operated in 1952, is believed to have caused the underground void where Pollard may be trapped. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will conduct further investigations once the search is concluded to determine the cause of the sinkhole.
